12 



qhe common brook trout (salmo fcntinalis) . Like the lat- 

 ter it always seeks clear, cold and shallow water, in which 

 it deposits its spawn. 



A female salmon that weighs ten pounds is said to deposit 

 each year ten thousand ova. Larger and smaller ones pro- 

 duce in the same proportion, that is, for every pound that 

 the fish weighs she is estimated to produce one thousand eggs. 

 The common trout is even more prolific than this. Salmon 

 and trout usually deposit their spawn in the months of Oc- 

 tober j, November and December. At the time of spawning 

 the female trout in their natural state are always attended by 

 a male of the same species. A clean gravelly spot is select- 

 ed, and lest some light substance tif a muddy nature should 

 be mixed with the gravel, the fish are guided by their in- 

 stincts to sweep it clean with their tails before the spawn is 

 deposited. This precaution is necessary, for spawn will not 

 retain life in muddy water. This is doubtless one reason 

 why so few trout are hatched in streams subject to freshets. 

 After the spawning bed is suitably prepared the female de- 

 posits a portion of her ova, and is soon followed by the male 

 fish that quietly settles upon the bed just vacated by his 

 mate, and emits a spermatic fluid that descends upon and im- 

 pregnates the eggs. By the combined motions of the fish 

 and the efiect of the running water the eggs are soon covered 

 by the gravel or small pebbles upon which they are deposited. 



The trout selects a shady spot in 'the stream, and usually 

 deposits her spawn in night time. It is said — whether in 

 truth or not — ^that spawn long exposed to the direct rays of 

 the sun wUl not hatch. From the fact that the trout in her 

 native stream selects a shady place for her spawning bed, we 

 incline to the belief that the assertion may be true, and the re- 

 fore would suggest that the safer way would be to deposit 

 spawn of all fish in places not exposed directly to the sun- 

 light. The young fry should also have a shady place in 

 which to pass the first month of their existence. 



